England v South Africa, 1st ODI Preview: Bigger picture in mind as Proteas take on the CT hosts

The stage is set for the preparatory ground for the upcoming edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Needless to say, the South African team has the best chance of getting their permutations right ahead of the mega event. They will be taking on the hosts of the Champions Trophy, England, in a short 3-match ODI series. The first ODI is all set to get underway at Headingley.

South Africa have started off their preparations on a good note. A century from Quinton de Kock helped them crush Sussex in the first warm-up game. In the next warm-up fixture, fifties from the middle-order batsmen set the tone for the Proteas win. The spirits would thus be quite high. On the other hand, England recently drubbed Ireland 2-0 in the home fixtures.

They have now only got stronger as a unit with the return of Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, and Jos Buttler in the lineup. The form and impact of these players need no introduction. Hence, going into the match, it will be a cracker of a contest to witness between the two power-packed lineups. The series at hand might not hold great significance in terms of brand value, but considering the bigger picture, it is the nodal one for both camps.

The series serves as the ideal ground for the two sides to get their combinations right before they head into the ICC Champions Trophy that commences on June 1. Ever since the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, there are only two teams who have breached the 350-run mark on most consistent basis. England have done it on 8 occasions and South Africa have a tally of 6 to boast. Amidst this backdrop, expect a high scoring game on the cards.

Toss: South Africa won the toss and opted to field

Playing XI

England: Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler(w), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Mark Wood

South Africa: Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock(w), Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers(c), Jean-Paul Duminy, David Miller, Chris Morris, Wayne Parnell, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Imran Tahir

Focus will be on

Ben Stokes

English all-rounder Ben Stokes will be back in the national colors after having a very successful maiden stint at the IPL. Stokes emerged as the Most Valuable Player in the tournament that concluded with his franchise finishing as the finalists. Now, Stokes will be under the radar to continue his good run for the national colours. Many players, including Joe Root, believe that the stint in the IPL would have surely made Stokes a much stronger and improved cricketer.

Quinton de Kock

South African wicket-keeper batsman Quinton de Kock will be making a comeback to international cricket after an injury layoff. He had been out of action for over a couple of months due to a finger injury. Hence, making a comeback ahead of the big ICC event will see his spirits tested on the day. Quinton made a remarkable comeback in the warm-up fixture though. Playing against Sussex, he hit a belligerent unbeaten ton. However, he was dismissed for a duck in next game against Nottinghamshire.

Jos Buttler

English wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler is renowned for his pyrotechnics with the bat. Much like Ben Stokes, even he missed the Ireland series since he was playing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians. Buttler will have a lot of eyes glued to his performances. This would largely be due to the fact that Jonny Bairstow has been performing heavily in the recent past but has often paved way for Buttler in the playing eleven. Healthy competition is on the cards for England.

Team Combinations

England

The English camp has been bolstered by the return of their IPL stars. Hence, the playing eleven will definitely change from the one that took on Ireland recently. Jason Roy and Alex Hales look set in the opening slot with Joe Root coming in at number 3. Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes will complete the middle order duties.

Jos Buttler, who had opened in the IPL for his franchise, will play at number 6 in the national setup. The team is likely to go ahead with Adil Rashid and hence Moeen Ali might miss out on the game. In the pace bowling department, expect Chris Woakes, David Willet, Liam Plunkett, and Mark Wood to be the four pacers.

South Africa

South African team has received a positive with AB de Villiers declared fit for the game. This could essentially mean Farhaan Behardien making way for the skipper. Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla are the tried and tested openers. Faf du Plessis, AB de Villiers, and JP Duminy make up a very strong middle order.

David Miller only beefs it up an inch more. Wayne Parnell is likely to get a nod ahead of Andile Phehlukwayo in the match. All-rounder Chris Morris, who was herculean in the IPL this season, will be back in national colors. Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel would be the other two placers to go along with the spin of Imran Tahir.

Stat Attack

0 – Number of times South Africa have won at Leeds.

18 – Number of runs needed by Eoin Morgan to become the third leading run getter for England in ODIs.

120 – Number of runs needed by Hashim Amla to register 7000 ODI runs. He is 13 innings ahead of Virat Kohli and will be the fastest to reach the landmark.